The invention relates to a sorting device for data words, comprising a data input for receiving the data words, a memory having an address input to which said data input is coupled and a data input which is activated in a write mode of operation to cause representations of data words received to be stored in said memory, and read control means for reading the representations stored at a sequence of addresses in said memory in order to present the memory address associated with each representation on a data output.
A device of this kind is known from published patent application Ser. No. 8,133,711. The known device, however, is not very suitable for use as a module in a large system, for example in a general purpose computer system or a data processor which is constructed entirely as an integrated circuit. It is an object of the invention to provide a device which can be included in a memory system in a simple manner; it may be possible to map such a device on a single address of such a system.